Google introduces Chromebook Pixel

It seems that the MacBook Air and Ultrabook market segments might not want to get too comfortable or snuggly in their current position, as the folks over at Google have finally brought to life what has been rumored before – a touchscreen version of the Chromebook, which Google has aptly christened as the Chromebook Pixel. Originally, Chromebooks were specially designed to make computing fast, simple as well as secure, and doing all of this without having to break the bank. Thing is, the adoption rate is not exactly phenomenal to say the least, but Google intends to bring the ideal of the Chromebook to the next level with the Chromebook Pixel, where it will still remain the ideal device for catching up on emails, sharing documents and chatting via Hangouts, albeit in a stunning form factor.

While partners such as Samsung, Acer, Lenovo and HP have committed to the Chromebook project in various capacities before, the Chromebook Pixel offers something totally different, bringing together what Google claims is “the best in hardware, software and design” as part of their effort to inspire the next generation of Chromebooks. The Chromebook Pixel rethinks all elements of a computer, and it will target power users who have fully embraced the cloud. While the philosophy of Chrome is to minimize the “chrome” of the browser, so too, does Pixel hope to make pixels disappear in your Web experience, where we will explain in a bit.

The Chromebook Pixel boasts of what it claims to be the highest pixel density (239 pixels per inch) of any laptop screen available in the market as at press time, packing in a whopping 4.3 million pixels that offers sharp text, vivid colors and extra-wide viewing angles. A screen that is this rich and engaging would certainly be tantalizing for your fingers to touch it, so Google decided to introduce touch sensitivity for a more immersive experience, too. Touching the screen keeps up with Windows 8-powered touch-sensitive Ultrabooks, and it is a whole lot easier and intuitive to perform tasks such as organize tabs, swipe through apps and edit photos with the tip of your finger.

The Chromebook Pixel comes with an anodized aluminum alloy body, hidden vents, seamless stereo speakers, a touchpad made from etched glass, analyzed and honed using a laser microscope for precise navigation, powerful, full-range speakers for crisp audio, a 720p webcam for clear video, and a trio of microphones which were specially designed to cancel out surrounding noise. You can choose from Wi-Fi and LTE versions that will retail for $1,299 and $1,449, respectively.